Cooling device for add-on card

ABSTRACT

A cooling device for cooling an add-on card includes a heat absorption member attached to the add-on card to absorb heat therefrom, a heat sink and a clip for clasping the heat sink onto the heat absorption member. The heat sink includes a supporting plate, and a first plate and a second plate respectively extending from opposite sides of the supporting plate and attached to the heat absorption member tightly. The clip includes an operation board, and an engaging board and a supporting board respectively extending from opposite sides of the supporting plate. The engaging board and the supporting board respectively abut the first plate and the second plate of the heat sink. A tongue extends from the engaging board rearwards and downwards toward the operation board. The tongue is provided for blocking a separation of the clip from the heat sink.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The disclosure generally relates to cooling devices for add-on cards, and more particularly to a cooling device having a clip for clasping the cooling device onto an add-on card.

2. Description of Related Art

Advances in microelectronics technology have resulted in add-on cards of electronic devices, such as computers, which process signals and data at unprecedented high speeds. During operation of many contemporary add-on cards, a large amount of heat are produced, and a heat sink is usually mounted onto the add-on card to efficiently remove the heat to prevent the electronic device from becoming unstable or being damaged.

Generally, the heat sink includes a first heat absorbing plate, a second heat absorbing plate and a connecting portion interconnecting the first plate and the second heat absorbing plate. The add-on card is sandwiched between and thermally contacts with the first and second heat absorbing plates with a lateral side thereof abutting against the connecting portion of the heat sink. When the add-on card assembled with the heat sink is pushed downwardly to engage with a socket of the electronic device, the add-on card generates an upward force to the heat sink, and thus the heat sink usually generates a movement relative to the add-on card. Therefore, a position of the heat sink on the add-on card is unfavorably changed, and contact between the heat sink and the electronic components of the add-on card is bad. Finally, a cooling efficiency of the heat sink is decreased.

For the foregoing reasons, therefore, there is a need in the art for a cooling device of an add-on card which overcomes the limitations described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing a cooling device according to an exemplary embodiment, which is assembled onto an add-on card for cooling electronic components of the add-on card.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded, side view of a heat dissipation member of the cooling device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing the heat dissipation member being partly assembled.

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4, but shows the heat dissipation member being assembled completely.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 1, taken along line VI-VI thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a cooling device for dissipating heat generated by electronic components 13 of an add-on card 10 is shown. The add-on card 10 can be a memory module, a display card, a sound card, a network interface card, etc. In the shown preferred embodiment, the add-on card 10 is a memory module such as a DRAM module.

Referring to FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the add-on card 10 is elongated and rectangular. The electronic components 13 are arranged on both of top and bottom sides of the add-on card 10. A plurality of electrical contacts (golden fingers) 120 are formed on a front side 12 of the add-on card 10 adapted for electrically connecting with a socket of an electronic device, such as a computer, which incorporates the add-on card 10. Four cutouts 110 are defined in a rear side 11 of the add-on card 10 opposite to the front side 12. The cutouts 110 are spaced from each other. A slot 14 is defined in each of a left end and a right end of the add-on card 10.

The cooling device is arranged on the add-on card 10 for taking away heat of the electronic components 13. The cooling device includes a heat absorption member 20 and a heat dissipation member 40 (FIG. 1). The heat absorption member 20 is made of metal or metal alloy which has a high heat conductivity coefficient, such as aluminum, copper or their alloy, and includes a top conductive plate 21, a bottom conductive plate 22, and a pair of clasps 30.

The top conductive plate 21 and the bottom conductive plate 22 of the heat absorption member 20 each have a shape similar to that of the add-on card 10, and sandwich the add-on card 10 therebetween. The electronic components 13 on top and bottom sides of the add-on card 10 are contacted with the top conductive plate 21 and the bottom conductive plate 22, respectively. The bottom conductive plate 22 forms a pair of L-shaped catches 221 at left and right ends thereof respectively corresponding to the slots 14 of the add-on card 10. The top conductive plate 21 defines a pair of notches 212 corresponding to the catches 221 of the bottom conductive plate 22. The catches 221 of the bottom conductive plate 22 extend through the slots 14 of the add-on card 10 and then engage into the notches 212 of the top conductive plate 21, and thus the add-on card 10 between the top conductive plate 21 and the bottom conductive plate 22 can not move along a left-to-right direction.

The clasps 30 are adapted for engaging the top conductive plate 21 and the bottom conductive plate 22 to the electronic components 13 tightly. Each of the clasps 30 is formed by bending a metal sheet, and includes a pair of spaced connecting plates 32 corresponding to the cutouts 110 of the add-on card 10, and a pair of U-shaped pressing plates 31 extending forwardly from top and bottom edges of the connecting plates 32, respectively. A space 33 is defined between the pressing plates 31 of each clasp 30 for accommodating the add-on card 10, the top conductive plate 21 and the bottom conductive plate 22 therein. A height of the space 33 of each clasp 30 gradually decreased forwardly from the connecting plates 32. In other words, the space 33 has a maximum height at a rear side thereof adjacent to the connecting plates 32, and a minimum height at a front side thereof away from the connecting plates 32. Preferably, the maximum height of the space 33 substantially equals to a sum of a thickness of the add-on card 10 (with the electronic components 13), the top conductive plate 21 and the bottom conductive plate 22, and the minimum height of the space 33 is slightly smaller than the sum of the thickness of the add-on card 10 (with the electronic components 13), the top conductive plate 21 and the bottom conductive plate 22.

When the heat absorption member 20 is assembled onto the add-on card 10, each clasp 30 spans across the add-on card 10 with the connecting plates 32 extending through corresponding cutouts 110 of the add-on card 10. The clasps 30 are spaced from each other, and are located corresponding to positions of the electronic components 13. The pressing plates 31 of each clasp 30 abut against the top conductive plate 21 and the bottom conductive plate 22, respectively. Since the height of the space 33 at the front side of the clasp 30 is smaller than the sum of the thickness of the add-on card 10 (with the electronic components 13), the top conductive plate 21 and the bottom conductive plate 22, the pressing plates 31 of each clasp 30 deform slightly to enlarge the space 33 therebetween and thus generate a force to cause the top conductive plate 21 and the bottom conductive plate 22 to contact the electronic components 13 tightly. Therefore, heat generated by the electronic components 13 can be effectively absorbed by the top and bottom conductive plates 21.

Referring to FIG. 6, the heat dissipation member 40 spans across and contacts the heat absorption member 20 tightly. The heat dissipation member 40 includes a heat sink 50 and a clip 60 clasping a centre portion of the heat sink 50. The heat sink 50 is formed by stamping a metal sheet and has a substantially transverse U-shaped configuration. The heat sink 50 includes an elongated supporting plate 51, and upper and lower dissipating plates 52, 53 extending forwardly from top and bottom edges of the supporting plate 51. A chamber 55 is defined between the upper and lower dissipating plates 52, 53 of the heat sink 50 for accommodating the add-on card 10 and the heat absorption member 20 therein.

In this embodiment, the supporting plate 51 is elongated and vertical, the lower dissipating plate 53 is horizontal and perpendicular to the supporting plate 51. A pair of blocking tabs 56 protrude upwardly from a rear side of the lower dissipating plate 53 adjacent to the supporting plate 51. The two blocking tabs 56 are respectively located adjacent to left and right ends of the lower dissipating plate 53. The blocking tabs 56 each are arc-shaped, and has a maximum height smaller than that of the supporting plate 51. In other words, the blocking tabs 56 are spaced from the upper dissipating plate 52. A pair of ears 54 extend upwardly from left and right ends of the lower dissipating plate 53 for limiting the add-on card 10 and the heat absorption member 20 therebetween.

The upper dissipating plate 52 includes a left board 521, a right board 524 and a bridge 523 between the left board 521 and the right board 524. The left board 521 and the right board 524 are substantially identical to each other. Each of the left board 521 and the right board 524 has a length in the left-to-right direction substantially the same as that of the clasps 30 of the heat absorption member 20, and has a width in a front-to-rear direction substantially the same as that of the clasps 30, being smaller than that of the lower dissipating plate 53. Each of the left board 521 and the right board 524 includes a main portion slants downwardly and forwardly from the top edge of the supporting plate 51, and a hem 522 formed at a front side of the main portion. The hem 522 is narrow, and slants upwardly from the main portion for facilitating assembly or disassembly of the heat dissipation member 40 onto the heat absorption member 20. A linear joint 525 is formed between the hem 522 and the main portion of each of the left board 521 and right board 524. Thus the chamber 55 has a height gradually decreased from the supporting plate 51 to the linear joints 525, and then increased.

The bridge 523 has a width in the front-to-rear direction much smaller than that of the left and right boards 521, 524. An opening 526 is thus defined between the left and right boards 521, 524 at a front side of the bridge 523. The bridge 523 is a little lower than the left and right board 524 with a top surface thereof substantially coplanar with bottom surfaces of the left board 521 and right board 524. A recess is thus defined over the bridge 523 with a height substantially equaling to a thickness of the left board 521 and right board 524.

The clip 60 has a substantially U-shaped configuration, and includes a vertical operation board 61, an engaging board 62 extending forwardly from a top edge of the operation board 61, and a supporting board 63 extending forwardly from a bottom edge of the operation board 61. A channel 64 is defined between the engaging board 62 and the supporting board 63 for accommodating the heat sink 50. The operation board 61 has a length in the left-to-right direction substantially equaling to that of the bridge 523 of the upper dissipating plate 52 of the heat sink 50. The supporting board 63 is horizontal, and is perpendicular to the operation board 61. A width of the supporting board 63 in the front-to-rear direction is smaller than that of the lower dissipating plate 53 of the heat sink 50.

The engaging board 62 includes a first portion 621, a second portion 622, and an end portion 623. Both of the first portion 621 and the second portion 622 of the engaging board 62 slant from upper rear to lower front. A slope of the second portion 622 is larger than that of the first portion 621, and larger than that of the left board 521 and the right board 524 of the upper dissipating plate 52. A first linear junction 626 is formed between the first portion 621 and the second portion 622 of the engaging board 62. The end portion 623 of the engaging board 62 slants upwardly from the second portion 622 for facilitating assembly or disassembly of the clip 60 onto the heat sink 50 of the heat dissipation member 40. A second linear junction 627 is formed between the end portion 623 and the second portion 622 of the engaging board 62.

The channel 64 defined between the engaging board 62 and the supporting board 63 thus has a height decreased from the operation board 61 to the second junction 627. A maximum height of the channel 64 at the operation board 61 is substantially the same as a height of the heat sink 50 at the bridge 523, whilst a minimum height of the channel 64 at the second junction 627 is smaller than the height of the heat sink 50 at the linear joint 525.

The first portion 621 has a rectangular shape. A length of the first portion 621 in the left-to-right direction is the same as that of the bridge 523 of the heat sink 50, and a width of the first portion 621 in the front-to-rear direction is larger than that of the bridge 523, but smaller than that of the left board 521/right board 524 of the upper dissipating plate 52. The second portion 622 has a shape of a trapezium, and has a length in the left-to-right direction gradually decreasing from the first portion 621 to the end portion 623. Thus the end portion 623 of the engaging board 62 of the clip 60 has a much smaller size.

A tongue 625 extends downward and rearwards from the engaging board 62 at the first junction 626, and forms a free end 628 in the channel 64 of the clip 60. An aperture 624 is defined in the first portion 621 of the engaging board 62 corresponding to the tongue 625. A width of the tongue 625 in the front-to-rear direction is smaller than that of the first portion 621. The free end 628 of the tongue 625 spaces a distance from the operation board 61, which is substantially equal to the width of the bridge 523 of the heat sink 50, and spaces a distance from the supporting board 63 of the clip 60, which is smaller than the height of the heat sink 50 at a front edge of the bridge 523.

Referring to FIGS. 3-5, when assembling the heat dissipation member 40, the clip 60 is aligned with the bridge 523 of the heat sink 50. Then the operation board 61 of the clip 60 is pushed forwardly, and the engaging board 62 of the clip 60 deforms to enlarge the channel 64 for entrance of the heat sink 50 into the channel 64. When the first junction 626 of the clip 60 moves to a position corresponding to the supporting plate 51 of the heat sink 50, the tongue 625 of the clip 60 encounters the bridge 523 of the heat sink 50. Thus the tongue 625 of the clip 60 moves into the aperture 624 of the engaging board 62 under an upward press of the supporting plate 51 (FIG. 4). After the tongue 625 across the bridge 523 of the heat sink 50, as shown in FIG. 5, the tongue 625 resumes its original position to be aslant, and thus the heat sink 50 can not escape from the clip 60 due to an engagement of the tongue 625 of the clip 60 and the bridge 523 of the heat sink 50 when the clip 60 is brought to move in a reverse direction to separate from the heat sink 50.

After the heat dissipation member 40 is assembled, the supporting board 63 and the engaging board 62 of the clip 60 abut against the lower dissipating plate 53 and the bridge 523 of the heat sink 50, respectively, for the maximum height of the channel 64 of the clip 60 substantially the same as the height of the heat sink 50 at the bridge 523. The engaging board 62 is deformed and generates a press force on to the heat sink 50, and thus the heat sink 50 with the clip 60 mounted thereon is stable. When assembles the heat dissipation member 40 to the add-on card 10, the operation board 61 of the clip 60 is pressed forwardly until the connecting plates 32 of the clasps 30 encounter the blocking tabs 56 of the heat sink 50. Thus the upper and lower dissipating plates 52, 53 of the heat sink 50 contact the top and bottom conductive plates 21, 22 tightly. The engaging board 62 of the clip 60 abuts against a portion of the top conductive plate 21 between the left board 521 and the right board 524 of the upper dissipating plate 52 of the heat sink 50. Thus the cooling device is assembled onto the add-on card 10. The engaging board 62 and the upper dissipating plate 52 both are deformed to generate a normal force acting the add-on card 10 received in the cooling device, whereby a force for securing the cooling device to the add-on card 10 is enhanced.

When the front side 12 of the add-on card 10 is inserted into the socket (not shown) via pressing the operation board 61 of the clip 60 toward the socket, the rear side 11 of the add-on card 10 abuts against the connecting plates 32 of the clasps 30. Since the securing force between the cooling device and the add-on card 10 is enhanced, the cooling device can move with the add-on card 10, and thus a position of the cooling device on the add-on card 10 can be stably and reliably maintained. Therefore, the cooling device attaches to the electronic components 13 of the add-on card 10 tightly and can absorb heat therefrom timely. Finally, the add-on card 10 can be efficiently cooled by the present cooling device.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

1. A cooling device adapted for cooling an add-on card, comprising: a heat sink comprising a supporting plate, and a first plate and a second plate respectively extending from opposite sides of the supporting plate, a chamber being defined between the first plate and the second plate adapted for receiving the add-on card; and a clip spanning across the heat sink, comprising an operation board, and an engaging board and a supporting board respectively extending from opposite sides of the supporting plate, the operation board abutting the supporting plate, the engaging board and the supporting board respectively abutting the first plate and the second plate of the heat sink, a tongue extending from the engaging board into the chamber of the heat sink for preventing the heat sink from escaping from the clip.
 2. The cooling device of claim 1, wherein the engaging board comprises a first portion slants from the operation board towards the supporting board, and a second portion slants from the first portion towards the supporting board, a slope of the second portion being larger than that of the first portion.
 3. The cooling device of claim 2, wherein the tongue extends from a junction of the first portion and the second portion of the engaging board towards the operation portion, and an aperture is defined in the first portion of the engaging board corresponding to the tongue.
 4. The cooling device of claim 3, wherein the first plate of the heat sink comprises a left board, a right board and a bridge between the left board and the right board, an opening being defined between the left board and the right board and in front of the bridge, the tongue of the clip extending into the chamber via the opening.
 5. The cooling device of claim 4, wherein a distance between the operation board and the aperture of the engaging board substantially equals to a width of the bridge of the heat sink.
 6. The cooling device of claim 5, wherein the bridge is lower than the left board and the right board, a top surface of the bridge being substantially coplanar with a bottom surface of each of the left board and the right board.
 7. The cooling device of claim 6, wherein the chamber has a maximum height at the operation board, which is substantially equal to a height of the heat sink at the bridge.
 8. The cooling device of claim 4, wherein the left board and the right board of the first plate slant from the supporting plate towards the second plate.
 9. The cooling device of claim 1, wherein a pair of ears extend from lateral edges of the second plate towards the first plate for limiting the add-on card therebetween.
 10. The cooling device of claim 1, wherein a pair of blocking tabs extend from the second plate toward the first plate and are located at a position adjacent to the supporting plate.
 11. The cooling device of claim 1, wherein the cooling device further comprises a pair of conductive plates adapted for being respectively attached to opposite sides of the add-on card and a pair of clasps for clasping the conductive plates to the add-on card, the first plate and the second plate of the heat sink being attached to the conductive plates tightly.
 12. The cooling device of claim 1, wherein one of the conductive plates forms a pair of slots at opposite sides thereof, and the other one of the conductive plates forms a pair of latches engaging into the slots.
 13. A cooling device for cooling an add-on card, comprising: a heat absorption member adapted for attaching to the add-on card to absorb heat therefrom; a heat sink comprising a supporting plate, and a first plate and a second plate respectively extending from opposite sides of the supporting plate and attached the heat absorption member tightly; and a clip for clasping the heat sink onto the heat absorption member, comprising an operation board, and an engaging board and a supporting board respectively extending from opposite sides of the supporting plate, the engaging board and the supporting board respectively abutting the first plate and the second plate of the heat sink, a tongue extending from the engaging board downwardly and rearwards towards the operation board, the tongue engaging with the first plate of the heat sink when the clip is brought to move in a direction separating from the heat sink.
 14. The cooling device of claim 13, wherein the engaging board comprises a first portion slants from the operation board towards the supporting board, and a second portion slants from the first portion towards the supporting board, a slope of the second portion being larger than that of the first portion, the tongue extending from a junction of the first portion and the second portion to the heat absorption member, an aperture being defined in the first portion corresponding to the tongue.
 15. The cooling device of claim 14, wherein the first plate of the heat sink comprises a left board, a right board and a bridge between the left board and the right board, an opening being defined between the left board and the right board and in front of the bridge, the tongue of the clip being located in the opening.
 16. The cooling device of claim 15, wherein the left board and the right board of the first plate slant from the supporting plate towards the second plate, a height of a chamber defined by the clip at a position adjacent to the operation board being substantially equal to a height of the heat sink at the bridge. 